I'm Coming Home
by rjwritergirl
Summary: Emily's journey to getting back to the states after her "death". Named after the Peter Cetera song "I'm Coming Home."  begins the day after her "death.  Lauren Spoilers! Short multi-chapter fic!  Completed! First in the Innocent Journey series!
1. Prologue

**This fic has spoilers for Lauren, don't read if you haven't seen it!**

**A big thank you goes out to Kate, she's the best beta I've ever had (no joke) and she ALWAYS does a fantastic job with what I give her.**

**Prologue:**

**March 8****th**** 2011- Washington DC Hospital**

Emily Prentiss slowly sat up in the hospital bed; it had been easier then she had expected for the doctors to remove the wood from her stomach. However, she'd been asleep for most of the last day, and now it was nearly 24 hours since she'd been brought in.

"Hey," JJ's voice made Emily turn and look toward the doorway.

"Hey," Emily said quietly. Everything still hurt despite the pain medication they had her on.

"How are you feeling?" JJ asked.

"Like I had to have a piece of wood removed from my body," Emily replied wryly with a thin smile. "Other than that, I'll be fine. Believe it or not, I've actually been beaten worse."

"Doyle disappeared," JJ said quietly.

"He's good at that." Emily paused. "I'm going to go into protective custody, aren't I?"

JJ nodded softly. "Yeah. We think it would be best for everyone involved," she confirmed.

Emily took in a breath. "Where will I be going?"

"Wherever you want," JJ answered. She smiled at Emily's surprised look and quickly explained, "The Department of Defense is letting you choose where you go. We will provide you with a new alias and money to keep you comfortable."

"Anywhere in the US?"

"The world," JJ corrected.

"How is my disappearance being explained?"

"Your funeral is on Friday," JJ said shortly.

Emily sighed and leaned back. "Wow. That was quick. Did I get an autopsy?" she quipped.

"We would have talked to you about it, but you were asleep and we needed to get things rolling."

Emily smiled thinly and nodded in agreement. "I understand. Does anyone else know I'm actually alive?"

"Only myself, Hotch and my superiors."

"Hotch will die before he gives out my secret," Emily whispered.

JJ nodded. "You have two weeks to decide where you want to live; otherwise we'll come up with a few aliases and let you decide from there."

"Okay." Emily blinked and yawned, still tired from running, hiding, and surgery.

"We need to talk to you about what Ian did to you, what he said," JJ began. "If we're going to find him we need to have as much information as possible."

Emily looked down and away from her best friend. "I'll be glad to talk to you," she agreed, "I just have one request about being in protective custody."

JJ paused. Requests had to be filtered, but this was Emily. "We can try."

"I had a phone with me…" Emily began.

JJ got up and went to the bedside cupboard. "We put your personal things in here." She took out the slim device and held it out to Emily.

"I just want to keep the message Garcia left me." Emily replied, taking the phone and cradling it as if it were the Crown Jewels. "Even if it's just a taping and you need to keep the phone."

"Of course," JJ said, gently. "I'll see if I can let you keep the phone, we'll need a phone and number to keep in contact with you anyway."

Emily nodded. "Thank you." Her eyes were so heavy and she needed to sleep. At least the meds were keeping the nightmares away.

"I'll let you sleep." JJ pulled up a chair. "I'll be right here." She took hold of Emily's thin hand.

"I wish I could see Henry." Emily was unsure why she suddenly wanted to see JJ's boy.

"He'd talk about you still being alive." JJ reminded, the sorrow in her eyes was visible though. "I wish he could see you though. He loves his Aunt Emily."

Emily's eyes pricked with tears and she turned from JJ, hoping the blonde wouldn't comment on the glistening. Everything was going to be hard enough without having to explain.

"You need to rest," JJ said again and pulled the blanket up to Emily's shoulders and then smoothed out the wrinkles.

"It feels like there's sleep medication in the IV drip." Emily mumbled, yawning sleepily.

"I'll have them take you off of it if you want; you still might sleep, because you need to heal."

"I know. No sleep meds and I want the lowest dose of everything else please."

"I'll talk to your doctor," JJ said quietly as Emily drifted off to sleep.

_The possibility me being pregnant is low _Emily thought as she drifted off to sleep, _but I'd rather be safe than sorry._

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	2. Chapter 1

**This fic has spoilers for Lauren, don't read if you haven't seen it!**

**A big thank you goes out to Kate, she's the best beta I've ever had (no joke) and she ALWAYS does a fantastic job with what I give her.**

**March 25th 2011, Paris France**

Emily picked up the paperwork JJ had set on the table. "Thank you," she said quietly. She'd need the money, and the alias to stay safe from Ian. She wouldn't go after him again, even if he found her. She'd run before putting her life on the line again. Putting the package in her purse she got up and quietly smiled at JJ, the closest to a sister she'd never had.

JJ smiled back so quickly Emily wondered if she'd even seen it. "Good luck," the cool blonde replied. Those two words said it all. _I love you. I'll miss you._

Emily walked away, heading towards the Eiffel Tower; it was a landmark she'd been meaning to visit for years but somehow she had never gotten around to it. She found it ironic that she was only able to see the famed French landmark as somebody else. Emily Prentiss had never seen the tower, but her current alias, Valerie Cook was lucky.

Once at the top, she looked over the lights of Paris. A few guys tried to flirt with her and she gently but firmly told each one that she wasn't interested. Pulling her phone out she hit the button to listen to old messages, soon she could hear Penelope's voice.

"_If this is you and you're out there, come home. Please. Did you think we'd just let you walk out of our lives? I'm so furious at you right now. Then I think about how scared you must be, in that dark place all alone. But you are not alone; we are in that dark place with you. We are waving flashlights and calling your name. If you can see us, come home. But if you can't then stay alive, because we're coming!"_

Emily brushed the tears away as she felt her stomach swoop. She leaned her head back to help get rid of the tears and then turned to go down in the elevator. She'd been to the Eiffel Tower; she'd looked out across the lights of Paris, now it was time to change into her new identity.

Once in her small hotel room she opened the package of papers JJ had given her, she had three identities to choose from. Isabelle De Luca was from Italy, Ivy Dorian from England and Ivette D'Aubigne had been born and raised in France.

Emily glanced over each one; they each had the same basic history. Each girl was coming home from a trip abroad and had been away for eight to ten years. An only child with parents who died when they had been in their early 20's. Although each girl had been engaged, neither one had been married for any length of time. The wedding had been called off due to infidelity on the future groom's part. (His name was Daniel and he was from England.)

Emily lay back on the bed, a hand falling to her abdomen as she glanced at the basic profile of each woman.

Finally she put two aside and picked up the more detailed information about Isabella De Luca. While Italy hadn't been her favorite place in the world, it was better than England or France.

**March 7th 2013- Portofino Italy**

Isabelle De Luca pulled from the grocery store parking lot intent on getting home to Lauren soon. She was in pain and Isabelle hated to leave her.

"How is she?" Isabelle texted the woman who was watching over Lauren, to give her a break.

"Sleeping." Sophia texted back, "She just went down."

Isabelle sighed in relief. Lauren didn't sleep well when she was in pain. "I'll be home soon." She texted back, she drove past the local café and as a last minute decision pulled into the parking lot, Lauren liked the fruit squares they sold; she'd get a box of the Raspberry ones.

She went into the café and waved to the barista, Adrina, they knew each other quite well, since she and Lauren were there on a regular basis in the morning.

"Lauren still hurting?" Adrina asked.

"She's doing better, I thought I'd get a box of your raspberry bars, she loves them. I'll have a Marocchino as well," Isabelle answered back in Italian. "Both to go."

"Of course," Adrina replied and quickly busied herself to get the box Isabelle ordered.

A new customer came in and Isabelle went to an empty table to sit down and wait for the order to be completed.

"May I sit?" a deep male voice spoke. Shocked, she looked up into Rossi's face.

"Of course," she hesitantly spoke English with a heavy Italian accent her tone low - adopted from her mother. Did Rossi recognize her? Could he tell who she was? She had color contacts and a new hair color. Rossi was smart though, he may be able to see past them.

"Are you local?" Rossi asked as he looked her over. There was something familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Isabelle was surprised at his bluntness but answered, "Yes, do you need help finding anything?"

"I was just curious where a good family restaurant would be," Dave wondered.

Isabelle glanced around the café. "That would depend on how old your children are and how many you have," she commented. Her mind raced frantically; had Rossi gotten married again? JJ hadn't said anything about it in her last update, but that had been nearly a year before.

"I'll be taking just one." Rossi pointed to the counter. It was Reid. "Him."

"I would take him to Leonora's" Isabelle said, still keeping her accent thick. "It is three blocks away; you could walk there from here."

Rossi nodded. "Thank you."

"Isabelle? Isabelle?" Adrina called out, trying to get the woman's attention. Isabelle stood and got the coffee and box of Raspberry bars. After paying, she nodded a goodbye in Rossi's direction and left the café.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she went to the car. Once she got in, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down; she couldn't drive when she was emotional. What in the world was so important that the BAU would travel to Italy? And since when did Rossi consider Reid his son? It took a few minutes before she was finally calm enough to drive home. Soon though, she pulled up into the drive of the small row house she and Lauren lived in and got out of the car.

After making sure that Sophia had been paid and that Lauren was still asleep, Emily began doing a load of laundry. She had just started it when there was a knock at her front door. Setting the basket down she went to the front door, opening it, she stared in surprise.

"JJ."

The one word that could potentially change her and Lauren's lives forever was standing in her doorway.

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**Please review!**

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	3. Chapter 2

**This fic has spoilers for Lauren, don't read if you haven't seen it!**

**A big thank you goes out to Kate, she's the best beta I've ever had (no joke) and she ALWAYS does a fantastic job with what I give her.**

JJ smiled. "Hi Emily," she greeted. Emily moved so JJ could come in.

"How is everyone?" Emily asked, closing the door and turning to face JJ.

"Everyone is great." JJ said, "Henry is starting kindergarten in September. I can't believe that he's so big."

"How's the baby?" Emily asked, the last time Emily and JJ had seen each other, JJ had just found out that she was pregnant.

"Wonderful." JJ couldn't help but smile. "It's a girl, I'm naming her Emily."

Emily flushed. "JJ you didn't have to."

"I would have named her that even if you hadn't 'died'," JJ said using her fingers to make quotes. "I really like the name."

"Thank you Jayje," Emily's voice was quiet. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Em."

"I saw Rossi and Reid earlier today."

JJ didn't look surprised. "That doesn't surprise me, the DOD has intercepted some emails between Reid and Rossi and neither one believe that you died, even though they were at your funeral and Hotch saw your body before the casket was closed."

"And they just _happened_ to show up in the coastal town in Italy that I live in?" Emily asked incredulously.

"They're starting to check the major cities in Italy," JJ warned, "they both have some leave time that they're going to lose unless they use it, so they each took a couple of months off to look in Italy for you. It was Rossi's idea, he knows you better then you think."

"He knows I spent some of my childhood in Italy." Emily whispered as she remembered the cold, grey morning she had confided her deepest, darkest secret in the one person she never thought she could trust. The one man who had never betrayed her trust. "That's where he probably got the idea."

Before JJ could respond, a cry came from upstairs and Emily quickly excused herself to go get the baby. Coming down the stairs JJ looked surprised. "Are you babysitting?" she asked.

"Uh," Emily paused. "No." She turned the baby so JJ could see Lauren's face. "She's mine."

JJ's mouth worked in surprise for a moment and Emily hurried on with an explanation.

"I know I told you that Ian raped me, but I never told you that I got pregnant." Another pause. "Lauren was born December 7, 2011." She shifted so Lauren could lay her head on Emily's shoulder. "I didn't tell you about her because you would have had to put her in my file. If you had put any kind of information about her in my file, Ian could have found out. I was trying to protect my daughter." She paused. "Thank heavens I didn't have her with me earlier, Rossi would have seen that she looks almost exactly like me. If he knew, then he could have accidentally leaked it out."

"What's her name?" JJ asked, she reached out and rubbed Lauren's back, the fifteen month old toddler looked behind her, looking at JJ warily.

"Lauren Elizabeth Rossi." Emily said she and JJ went into the living room, sitting on the couch. "I wanted to give her a name that meant something to me but that people wouldn't be able to immediately trace back to Emily."

"You're in Italy and Rossi is a pretty common Italian name."

Emily nodded and they drifted into silence. Lauren wiggled and Emily turned her around and sat her so Lauren was facing JJ.

"She looks just like you," JJ complimented as she reached out for Lauren; the little girl looked up at JJ quietly before smiling at the blonde.

"She's always been friendly," Emily observed as JJ took the girl and tucked her under an arm. "I'm not surprised she likes you."

"Hi," JJ happily talked to the girl. Lauren grinned again, waved and then blew a kiss to JJ "Maa!" the young girl stated.

JJ bent her head and kissed her. "Oh, you and Emmy would be great friends," JJ said to Lauren.

"It's too bad they can't meet." Emily said, she meant it. She and JJ were best friends, and it really hurt that Lauren couldn't be friends with JJ's new daughter.

JJ smiled and looked up as a small smile danced on her delicate lips. "Oh, but they can." Her smile grew larger.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked.

"I mean," JJ seemed to get choked up at this point, she quickly swallowed her tears and kept talking. "As of February 20th 2013, Ian Doyle is dead; suicide by Agent Aaron Hotchner. At least that is what the official report states. Strauss signed it, so…"

"He's dead?" Emily stated, her eyes burning with sudden tears.

"Yes." JJ said, "Hotch shot Ian himself, I saw it."

Emily leaned back against the couch, the tears spilling from her eyes. "I-" she started.

"If you choose to, you can come back to the states as Emily Prentiss."

"You better believe I will." Emily said, Lauren started to cry again and Emily grabbed a tube of child Orajel from a basket on the coffee table. "She's teething," Emily commented and administered the medicine quickly as the squirmy 15 month fought her. Emily then took the baby from JJ and started rocking her, hoping the pain would subside quickly. She hated hearing's Lauren's cries.

"You can come back to the US as soon as you're able to get a flight out."

"I will be going back next week," Emily said. "Lauren's got a small part in a play her day care is putting on. I don't want to pull her out. The play is Saturday through Monday of next week."

JJ nodded, "I'll get Rossi and Reid back to the States and then I'll have the team at the airport when you come back."

"You still haven't told them I'm still alive?" Emily asked in surprise.

"No, we wanted to make sure that Ian didn't have an accomplice who would come after you if you came back," JJ assured. "He doesn't, and I thought it would be nice to surprise the team."

"You sure they're not going to have a heart attack?" Emily asked.

JJ smiled again. "They'll be fine. Once you get a flight into Reagan, call me and I'll make sure the team is at the airport in time to greet you when you get out of customs."

Emily nodded speechless now, her throat thick with tears. "Thank you." she finally managed to choke out.

"I'll let you get started on the arrangements that need to be made for you to move." Emily nodded and JJ got up before bending to hug Emily. "I love you and I can't wait to see you back in the states." JJ sounded like she had a sudden head cold.

"I'll call once I have a flight out," Emily promised hugging her friend back.

"And I would like to request that you go back to your original hair color," JJ said. "No offence, but you look better as a blonde."

Emily nodded. "I will," she promised, subconsciously playing with her dyed blonde locks. "I kind of hate this color anyway. I would have gone red but that always seemed like Garcia's color to me."

JJ gave her a quick hug before leaving to get back to the States and her family. Emily busied herself, making sure she got the things done that she needed to, to move back to the States.

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**March 15th 2013- Washington DC**

"'_Will put your child to sleep_', my ass." Emily muttered as she picked up Lauren, her purse and the diaper bag and began to carry everything to the front of the plane. "If I weren't so dang tired I'd call and file a complaint with that company."

"Ass!" Lauren repeated the one word Emily wished she hadn't heard.

"We will be talking about your language young lady," Emily told her daughter, even though she knew Lauren was just repeating what she was hearing. "How in the world did you manage to cry the entire time? I gave you medicine that should have made you sleep!"

She sent a weary smile to the pilot and spoke. "I am so so sorry," she apologized, "My daughter has never flown before, I didn't know she'd cry the entire time."

"This isn't the first time I've flown with a young child in the back," The pilot empathized, "I have a couple little ones at home; I know how they can be."

Emily sent a grateful smile to the pilot and de-boarded the plane, thankfully she had been able to leave her stroller at the front of the plane and she was able to strap Lauren into it and use the basket underneath the seat to hold her purse and the diaper bag. She somehow made it through customs and began to push the stroller up the ramp to the main part of the airport.

The airport wasn't as crowded as Emily had expected it to be. So she was able to easily see through the crowds of people to where JJ was talking to the team about something. It looked like JJ had gotten a hold of Emily and Lauren's luggage and it was by her feet. The team looked bigger now, there was a woman standing by Hotch. Jack was there as well, playing some sort of video game looking extremely bored. Will was next to JJ one arm around her waist, he was holding a baby girl and Henry was standing next to JJ, holding her hand.

Emily had to stop and brush tears from her eyes. The group of people there, they were her _family_. But even family didn't describe who the team was to her and being away from them for the last two years had been hell.

Her eyes cleared and she took a few steps forward. Hotch was looking at her now, good God, was her Unit Chief _smiling_?

Penelope looked up to Hotch but then seeing that his eyes were somewhere else followed his line of sight. Even from halfway down the concourse, Emily could hear Penelope's exclamation of: "Oh my GOD!"

That's all it took for the rest of the team to look where Hotch and Penelope were looking and then they descended upon her. Both Reid and Penelope were crying before they even reached her and Emily let go of the stroller to gather both of them in her arms. "I've got the baby," Emily could faintly hear JJ speaking.

There were a couple thumps on her back as Hotch and Morgan took turns hugging her tightly. They all simply stood there for several minutes, the girls crying openly as the men tried to hold back tears.

Soon there were introductions as Emily met JJ's daughter and Hotch's girlfriend, Kelly.

"Now I need for you to introduce you to someone," Emily said as she took Lauren from JJ. "This is Lauren; she turns 16 months next week. She's my daughter."

Lauren looked up at Emily. There were a lot of new people and as friendly as she was, it had to be scary for the toddler. After she saw the tears on Emily's face she patted Emily's cheeks, and kissed her mother, before grinning brightly. Emily kissed her daughter, knowing that Lauren wanted Emily to be happy.

"Emily-" Reid was still very emotional. Lauren looked up at him, pointed, and in baby talk said something very sternly, clearly she thought Reid was the source of her mother's tears.

"This is Uncle Spencer," Emily explained, smiling. Lauren looked from Emily's smiling face to Reid and smiled flirtatiously. Her opinion changed since Emily was smiling at the man.

"Aww, she - she's cute…" Reid observed, hesitantly reached out for Lauren who grinned and reached towards him. Emily let Reid take her. She turned back to face everyone else.

Penelope enveloped Emily in another hug. "Why didn't you tell us?" she demanded, still crying.

"I wanted to PG," Emily said, tears threatening to fall again, "but to protect the team and Lauren, I couldn't."

Both women started crying again and Emily looked around at the people she called family.

Finally, finally she was _home_.

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**The End**

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